Jānis Cimze

• Name — Jānis Cimze • Born — 3 July 1814 • Birthplace — Rauna parish, Vidzeme, Russian Empire • Died — 22 October 1881 • Place of death — Valka, Russian Empire • Occupation — Pedagogue Organist Composer

Cimze was born at the Rauna Manor Cimze dairy farm (hoflage) to the family of a manor's dairy farm overseer, Andreas (Ansis) Cimze, and his wife, Anne, as the first of 8 children. His initial education came from Rauna Parish School, where he also learned to play the organ. From the age of sixteen, he worked as a private tutor; later, he taught at Valmiera Parish School and served as an organist.

In 1836, Cimze went to Germany to study at Weissenfels Teachers' Seminary, which he finished in 1838. This was where he learned to play the violin and piano and improved his skills as an organist. In 1838—39, he was an external student at Berlin University, where he attended lectures on mathematics, didactics, and the theory of music. His music professor was Ludwig Christian Erk, a collector, harmoniser, publisher, and researcher of German folk songs.

Upon returning from Germany, Cimze headed the Vidzeme Teachers' Seminary from 1839 until the end of his life, where he taught future teachers how to conduct choirs and harmonise folk songs. Cimze followed the principles of Johann Pestalozzi and Adolph Diesterweg, and all education was conducted in German. During his forty-two years at the Teachers' Seminary, Cimze educated more than four hundred students who subsequently became teachers in Latvian and Estonian. Being a teacher in the 19th century also meant being an educator, a musician, a literary and public figure. In the second half of the 19th century, teachers organised choirs and worked with them and cultural societies.

Jānis Cimze is recorded with the occupation musician. Recorded as organist, composer, pedagogue and musician.